India's Government Responds to Calls for Higher Minimum Pension
Listen to the story
The Indian government spoke about pensions in Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha is India's parliament. Many people want a bigger minimum pension.
The pension plan is called EPS-95. It gives money to workers after they stop working. Right now, the smallest pension is ₹1,000 each month.
Some people want the government to raise it to ₹7,500. This is a big increase. The government talked about this question in parliament.
The government also spoke about a different problem. Many workers asked for a higher pension. But their applications are still waiting.
This waiting is called a backlog. The government named four steps to fix the backlog. These steps will help clear old claims faster.
The organisation that runs these pensions is called EPFO. EPFO manages money for millions of Indian workers.
Many workers are waiting to hear if their pension will grow. The government did not give a final answer about ₹7,500 yet.
Vocabulary15 words
- Lok Sabha
- the main part of India's parliament
- EPS-95
- a pension plan for Indian workers
- higher pension
- a bigger amount of money paid to workers
- applications
- requests people send to ask for something
- backlog
- many things waiting to be done
- claims
- requests for money you think you should get
- EPFO
- the group that manages Indian workers' pension money
- minimum
- the smallest amount allowed
- increase
- to become bigger
- pension
- money paid regularly after you stop working
- parliament
- the group of people who make laws for a country
- workers
- people who have jobs
- steps
- actions taken to solve a problem
- organisation
- a group that does work together
- money
- cash used to buy things
Quiz
Answer key
1. ₹1,000 2. In Lok Sabha, India's parliament 3. Four
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
The Indian government spoke about _____ in Lok Sabha. Lok Sabha is India's _____.
The pension plan is called _____. Right now, the smallest pension is ₹_____ each month.
Some people want the government to raise it to ₹_____.
Many workers asked for a higher pension. But their _____ are still waiting.
This waiting is called a _____. The government named _____ steps to fix it.
The organisation that runs these pensions is called _____.